Fans version - Nippon Project

NIPPON PROJECT SPECIAL EDITION
SPECIAL FAN VERSION
Written by Christine S.
Photos Courtesy of Pony Canyon
D
on’t worry about the future of Japan’s ”boy
bands”, if you’ve been wondering just where
Japan’s boy/girl bands have been going, look
no further. Hip hop dance units such as Lead
have made their way into mainstream media
seemingly paving a way for a new generation.
Looking at the vast majority of boy/girl bands
in Japan appearing after 2000, taste in mainstream society has turned to cute boys and girls
singing catchy karaoke -style tunes (more so
than before) that sell and often make Oricon
Chart rankings (equivalent to the Billboards).
When you think of Japan’s music industry and
its ability to produce legions of pop groups,
onemay wonder just where the good ones have
gone. Well like most, they’re all underground,
under-rated and/or under promoted. After all,
Japan is known for its cute idols, cute groups
and catchy tunes, but when it comes to hip
hop (or “hip pop”) and R&B, the only popular
names include ZEEBRA, KREVA, Crystal Kay,
m-flo, AI and Amuro Namie who crossed over
from “Pop Queen” to the “Queen of Hip-Pop”.
Most dancers who grow up with the passion for dancing and possess the skill to do
so, progress to become professional dancers
for major artists. Hardly ever do you get a
whole crew to become a “boy band”, especially in Japan. However, some management
companies in Japan have managed to take
young aspiring artists, train them and then
send them off to the appropriate labels resulting in groups like w-inds., FLAME and Lead
(also referred to as wFL). No, Lead isn’t your
average boy band, they are a group of young
guys who trained to become what they wanted to be without losing sight or falling into
the trap of the typical boy band stereotype.
Kickin’ it old school – is not something you
hear everyday in the current Japanese music scene. Of course you will always have
the J-“Pop” artists, but when it comes to hip
hop dance units in Japan, Lead is “kickin’ it
old school” and bringing it back. They aren’t
your average dance crew; they sing, rap and
are b-boys. The group is known for their hiphop and break dancing moves making them
one of the few “boy bands” in Japan’s mainstream music scene that are truly hip-hop.
Every group has its roots, and while
some would like to say that they aren’t really a dance crew, their roots are hip hop
and along the way pop played a role in
melding them into their current form.
Starting off at the average age of 14, Hiroki
Nakadoi, Shinya Taniuchi and Akira Kagimoto all shared the same passion when they
met Caless Vocal and Dance School in Osaka,
while
Keita
Furuya
was
back
home
in
Fukuoka doing his thing to get into the industry.
Their inspirations for becoming what they are today stem from
both Japanese and American artist alike. Japanese 90’s artist, DA PUMP, has been an inspiration for the group since they
formed (they are Lead’s “senpai” (older brother); also Nujabes,
a hip hop Japanese producer/DJ. Some American inspirations
range from Shawn Desman to Ne-Yo to Justin Timberlake.
Some fans seem to think they are one of the more under rated
groups in Japan. They’re not a group formed by a company for
mere show and looks. Lead is a talented group of guys who started
out just like any dance crew. Dance training at a young age, forming their own crew and performing wherever they can. They were’t
put together randomly from different parts of the country. They
were brought together through their love of dance and singing.
The original crew, ryhmix (later changed to “flow”), was founded in March 2002 by Hiroki, Shinya and Akira. They performed
on the streets of Shiroten in Osaka. During that time Keita Furuya
(from Fukuoka) auditioned and won the Kyushu Okinawa Starlight
Audition held on April 13, 2002. Hearing of his win, flow tracked
Keita down and he officially joined flow on May 22, 2002. After his
joining they changed their name to Lead (aka the 4 MCs). The name
change was made “in hopes to become a leading group of the age.”
Their first live together as Lead, was held at Osaka Castle Park.
In front of 7,000 spectators and they presented the crowd with
not only their dancing, but singing and rapping as well, making their first street live a great success. This paved an opportunity for the group, to become the opening act for already established group, w-inds., in their 2002 ~1st Message~ Tour
in front of 120,000 people. This surprised the group tremendously as it was their first time in front of a huge audience.
After such a succesful tour, they released their debut single,
“Manatsu no Magic” (Midsummer’s Magic) and won the award
for “Best newcomer” at the 44th Japan Record Awards in December of 2002. Their second single, “Show me the way” outsold their
first single, selling 38,000 copies and charting in at #7 on Oricon
Charts. From then on the group has released at a steady flow resulting in 12 more singles that charted in the top 20 on Oricon. Their
singles have been used as theme songs for several shows including,
Shounen Chample (a hip hop dance show), Mezashi TV, the movie “Deep Love ~Ayu’s Story~” and many others. Their first album,
“Life on da beat”, was a mere introduction into what was to come.
A mixture of pop, hip hop, electronica, funk, mixed in with
a bit of (American) ‘70’s flavor and a tad bit of rock, this was
a group well on their way to becoming the future of hip pop.
To date, the group has released 14 singles (2002-2008)
and five albums (2003-2008) including a “Singles Collection” (09.14.2007) released only in Taiwan, reaching #1 on
Lead CD Single Release Event, “STAND UP!” Live
SHINYA-TANIUCHI
1987.09.23, A
Osaka, Japan
HIROKI-NAKADOI
KEITA-FURUYA
1985.07.26, AB
Osaka, Japan
1988.06.13, A
Fukuoka, Japan
AKIRA--KAGIMOTO
1988.08.20, O
Nara, Japan
on the country’s charts. “Summer Madness” (2006) sent
them south of Japan, to film the promotional video in Saipan.
The twelfth single, “Drive Alive” gained them massive attention
from overseas fans (old and new alike), as the song was catchy and
had an image of maturity mixed in. They appeared on Yahoo! Live
Talk in a “Dream Collaboration” to promote this single with another group. Their thirteenth single, “Umi” (Ocean), has a Chinese
(Beijing) version which they sang at their Taiwan live in October
2007. Lead marked their way into Taiwan charts in 2005 with their
release of “Virgin Blue” (a remake of Japanese pop artist SALLY’s
1985 song) in early 2006. This opened the way for an opportunity the group had been waiting a long time for: to perform overseas.
Following in the footsteps of most Japanese artists, they held their
first overseas live in Taipei, Taiwan. On September 25, 2007, Lead was
greeted by 1500 fans at their first one-man live held in Taipei’s main
hall. On September 23rd (prior to their arrival in Taipei), 500 fans waited for them at Taipei International Airport on and greeted Shinya with a
“Happy Birthday”. Turning 20, he stated, “It’s different to celebrate your
birthday overseas, but I’m really happy”. On the day of the live, they
presented Shinya with a cake, making it a birthday he wouldn’t forget.
The group mentioned that they experienced something different
from Japan. Leader of the group, Hiroki, stated that “the feeling here is
different from Japan, it’s more loud.” For Akira, this would be his first
time visiting his mother’s native country, Akira hoped that the audience
could feel the message of their songs. While for Keita, his was a different
feeling, “It’s not something every 19 year old can experience and for t
hat I’m grateful”, he said. It was an exciting experience for all of them.
Since early on, their songs have had some English phrases (like
all Japanese artists) and somewhat risqué lyrics for boys of such a
young age. Songs such as “Night Deluxe” and “Extreme Girl” from
their second album, “Brand New Era” (08.25.2004) raised eyebrows. The third album, “Lead! Heat! Beat!” (08.10.2005) was to
be the beginning of their transition into their fourth album.
The fourth album, [4], was titled so because it was their fourth
album, fourth year together and was dedicated to the fans, the concept being that if you rearranged the letters and you’d get, “For
U”. The group’s music was gradually changing and maturing. Lyrics were getting more risqué, the beats were following that of a
more western style, and dance moves were becoming more provocative. The group was now showing more sex appeal and appealing to a broader audience other than the teenage-girl. Not just
young girls, but young boys look up to Lead when it comes to dancing. They are b-boys incorporating popping, and old school locking
in their dance, rarely seen in Japan’s boy band industry.
It’s a new year for them and they have certainly stepped up to a style
that might be nostalgic to music lovers of the nineties. This year proves
to be the year where we can experience what Lead is really about.
Going back to their old school hip hop roots, their recent single,
“STAND UP!” (02.05.2008) is written by the members themselves
and seems to date back to American hip hop in the early nineties (this single is also the first tie-in they have with an anime, being the ending theme to Katekyō Hitman REBORN!). Having writ
Lead UPTURN 2007 ~B.W.R.~ Live Tour (Taipei, Taiwan)
““It’s different to celebrate your
birthday overseas, but
I’m really happy”
ten the lyrics and composing the melody proved
to be a challenging task for them, but has been
in the works for some time (since 2007). This
single seemed to center on what they wanted
to do most and something that represented
them as Lead. Beats such as the one’s used
in the song are common among hip hop artists all over the world; but from a “boy band”
in Japan? Hardly. Take your old school beats
and mix it with some Japanese flavor because
the 4 MCs are bringing it old school.
The bus doesn’t stop there. Take a listen
to their latest songs on their new album, “Feel
the Vibes” (03.15.2008). It’s been a year and
seven months since the group released a full
length album. The fifth album by the group
is said to be their first “real” album. Some
may ask “why?” when they have released
pervious albums, but this album seems a bit
more personal.The members were involved
in the process of making this album. They
thought of various ideas for the album, what they
wanted, and the feelings they wanted to convey.
Some of the toughest parts of creating the album
revolved around how they could improve certain
songs. Shinya seems to have had the most challenging task as he co-wrote a few songs (lyrically) on the album (along with Akira and DJ Taku).
The album also has special guests from America, The Substitute Teachers, a hip hop group
Lead CD Album Release Event, ‘Feel the Vibes”
hailing from California. The album itself shows
a strong influence in R&B and hip hop. Adding some new texture to the group; they worked
with LL Brothers for the first time. The change
in style required a lot of study. Each member has their “own” song (more like dominant singer) and includes a mixture of R&B,
hip hop, electronica and a tad bit of pop/rock.
Look forward
to upcoming releases as the
guys plan on writing more of their own music.
To celebrate their newest single and album,
the group held two release events. The first event
“STAND UP!” was held in Kawasaki on February
8, 2008. Three-thousand fans waited for the group
as they performed their new single and some previous singles. They also held a hand-shake event,
in which 3,500 lucky fans were able to meet and
shake hands with the members (a special coupon
was needed to attend the event, available only in
the limited edition of the single). Needless to say
they finished in three and half hours. Some fans
even cried after shaking hands with the group.
The second release event was the “Feel the
Vibes” event, which was held on March 15, 2008
at Yoyogi Park. The outside arena filled with
three-thou sand fans, who patiently awaited for
the group as they performed songs including
“Drive Alive”, “Umi” and “STAND UP!” from
the new album and old singles such as “Night
Deluxe”. The event that day was cloudy but
this didn’t stop them. The group itself was determined to perform in any condition. Even Hiroki, who was getting over a cold was unfazed.
Not only are they accomplished artists, but
they’ve appeared in several movies and dramas. The group itself starred in two movies,
“Baoutaoshi” (2003) and “Kamachi” (2004). In
2004, Keita starred in the TV Drama and Movie, “Deep Love ~Ayu no Monogatari~” (Ayu’s
story) (2004).Their seventh single “Tenohira wo
taiyo ni” (Palm to the sun) was a double A-side
single, with “Delight” as the opening theme to
the drama. Akira starred in the movie, “Tenshi
ga kureta mono” (A gift from an Angel) (2007).
Starting in 2007 they appeared in various drama’s on Vision Cast which is only viewable by
cell phone in Japan. Hiroki, Shinya and Akira
all starred in “Natsu owaranai!!” (It doesn’t end
in Summer!), while Keita starred in “Kanojo to
boku to toshokan” (“She, the library, and I”;
which also starred Akira) and “FLOWERS
Jyunketsu no Yuri” (FLOWERS- The Lily of
Purity) and Shinya in “Toy Fireworks”. Since
starting their career, they appeared in various
shows as guests as well as having their own
shows. The first show they appeared on was
an Osaka TV show, “DOYAH” (2003-2005)
which features various celebrities as well as
other artists. From 2003-2005 they’ve appeared
in PikaPuri, XEBEC Online and Factory Generation; a show that featured Vision Factory
artists. After three years, the group had their
Lead CD Album Release Event, ‘Feel the Vibes”
ment artist, FLAME called “BIGUP! LIVE”.
This year’s fanclub event included five shows
in three days with FLAME at the end of April
called “FLAME & Lead Bigup Live” during Golden week. They also participated in
the “One + Love World Down Syndrome Day”
event held on March 20, 2008 in Osaka; along
with other musical guests and dance crews
for a street live performance. Many organizations around the world participate in this event
to raise public awareness of Down Syndrome.
Right now, the group is preparing for their
summer tour, “Upturn 2008”, which will start
in early August and will show in five cities.
In October 2007, Lead started their own
video blog. The blog shows snippits of
the group’s daily activities to their fans.
In some cases they show behind the scenes of
their work and private lives. They even help the
fans prepare for their lives by showing them
how to do dance moves that the group asks the
fans to particpate in during the live itself. Fans
can leave comments as well, showing that interaction with their fans is important to them.
very own show, Lead Generation, which
only aired for one season. They are also frequent guests on the TV show Make on the
Holiday (M-ON), and was offered a mini corner on the show called “Bura-lead” in 2006.
This year proves to be a breaking point for them
as they seem busier than ever. With the release of
a single and an album in a month’s time; release
events, their annual fan club event. Last year they
did a collaboration concert with fellow manage
As they start off their year with a bang, we were able to
catch up with the guys for a one on one.
Please introduce yourselves.
We are Hiroki, Akira and Shinya from Osaka, and Keita
is from Fukuoka. The average age is around 20.
When and how did you first become interested in music/
dancing?
Keita: When I was in my 4th year in elementary school. Da
Pump is one of my inspirations and that’s when I started
dancing.
Akira: I’ve always wanted to be in entertainment world,
and so I started going to dance school and would communte
back and forth when I was in elementary and junior high
school.
Shinya: When I was in elementary school, my little sister
was going to dance school and I used to go with her, and
then I started to want to dance as well.
Hiroki: My mother was always interested in the entertainment world, and she left it to me, so needless to say that’s
when I started going to dance school.
What/who are your musical/dance influences? What is
your favorite style of dance?
Keita: Da Pump. We started off hip hop, so its hip hop.
Your formation as a group is still a bit un-clear, can you
explain how LEAD came to be?
Hiroki: Well Shinya, Akira and myself went to the same
dance school, we even formed our own crew and did street
performances. Keita had won and audition and was chosen
for our group, and that’s how we were formed.
Who came up with the name LEAD? What does it mean?
Akira: Well at the time, the four of us were thinking of a name
and we wanted to be a leading group of the age, and we thought
that, that would be the perfect name, so we chose Lead.
You toured with w-inds. before LEAD’s debut, what was that
like?
Shinya: I was so surprised, because we were in front of
10,000’s of people. At first I was so nervous that I couldn’t
even look forward.
When it was announced that you would debut how did you
feel?
Hiroki: Well it was decided after only being together for a
month, so it was like a dream.
What were your feelings after that first single/album release?
Hiroki: We all went out and bought the CD’s.
You released a Taiwan Singles Collection, can you describe
your feelings/thoughts when hearing that it made #1 on Taiwan charts?
Akira: I thought, “I love Taiwan!!”
Keita: Well even though its not our native language, I
thought that they can still understand our songs regardless.
You also sang in Mandarin, was it harder to
convey the songs in a different language?
Speaking of singles, your newest single, Stand Up, I see you guys
wrote the lyrics for it. What were your thoughts on writing?
Shinya: They just kinda came out for during event and concert.
Were you the one’s who approached this idea?
Akira: Yeah
What was the creative process behind this single?
(design, concept, production)
Hiroki: To stand up on our feet, be independent and be poppy.
Did you have someone in mind to write the song?
Shinya & Akira: The members, fans and our friends.
Did you have a say in the composition of the song or did you
write the lyrics first then music?
Keita: It was from the music first.
What was the hardest part in doing this single?
Keita: We made sure tha none of us overlapped
each other.
Did you also choreograph the dance to this song as well?
Keita: Yeah, recently we’ve been doing it ourselves.
After getting a taste of being a part
of a composing team, is this something you all plan on doing in the
future? How about as solo artists?
Hiroki: We do plan on continuing writing and making our
own songs. We’ve never even
thought about doing solo work.
Can we expect any more future
releases with LEAD as a composer as well as the lyricist?
Akira: We’re gonna do our best!
<Taiwan
forming
Concert
outside
Shinya:
such
an
Taiwan
exciting
has
image.
Are the fans (the audience) different from your fans in Japan?
If so, how are they different?
Keita: The Taiwan fans are
more straight forward, they’re
so enthusiastic and thankful.
This question is for Shinya, were
you surprised when fans greeted
Knowing that many artists have
done overseas lives, do you feel your
future will follow the same path?
Keita: If you call for us,
we will be happy to go.
If not/so, can you please share your
thoughts
on
this?
Akira: No matter the time
or place I would love to go.
2007/ Perof Japan>
How do you prepare yourselves
before each live during the tour?
Shinya:
We
usually think of a concept first.
Are
there
any
easy
or
hard parts when on tour?
Hiroki:
Watching
our
[physical]
conditions.
What is the happiest memory you have being on tour?
Keita: When were in the middle of the doing the tour.
What was/is the most challenging
thing you’ve had being on tour?
Akira: That the hard things
are
also
the
fun
things.
When you were told about doing a
live in Taiwan, how did you feel?
Hiroki:
We
finally
made
it! Taiwan here we come!!
Did you do anything different in
terms of preparation for this live?
Akira: Singing in Mandarin.
How different is the atmosphere from Japan and Taiwan?
you
on
your
birthday?
Shinya: I was deeply moved by it.
Were you surprised that you
have many fans in Taiwan?
Shinya: I was pretty amazed
by it and I’m thankful for it.
Did you guys get to do any sightseeing in Taiwan? Visit any famous places? Eat authentic Taiwanese food?
Keita: We went out to the night
markets. Had some “shouronpau”
and went to a Ma po noodle shop.
Were you easily recognized?
Hiroki: Where ever we went we
were surrounded by our loving fans.
You have many fans outside of Asia,
where would you like to go next?
Hiroki: We are all so in-experienced
so we would like to
go to many different places.
There are many Japanese artists
that have come to America and
Europe, would LEAD be interested in breaking outside of Asia and
coming to America and Europe?
Shinya:
Of
course!
We’re
going
to
do
our
best!
Please give a message to
all
your
overseas
fans.
Hiroki: There are so many challeges and various things we’d like
to do. Please continue to support
us! (continued on the next page)
“I’m looking forward to the day that
I’ll be able to meet you all.
We’ll keep doing our best”
“STAND UP!” CD Release event
&
“Feel The Vibes” CD Release event
(February & March 2008)
AVAILABLE NOW!!
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NIPPON PROJECT
PIN-UP
Pony Canyon
Drive Alive
Regular Edition (CD)
PCCA-02430 1,260yen
release: 2007.03.14
M-1 Drive Alive
M-2 GET DIZZY
M-3 Love&Everything
M-4 Drive Alive (instru)
The 12th installment from the group, this single is diverse in the
musical sense. The song “Drive Alive” fuses electronic rock and
pop beats that make this song great when heard live. The title might
seem a bit off, but it’s a very “I won’t give up no matter what people
tell” me song. It will get you going no matter what, and some people
might think of a car commercial when they hear this song (not just
cause of the title but it can resemble that feeling in the music itself). It uses a lot of electronic beats and synthesizers. “Get Dizzy” is
your hip “poppy” song, it would not be a single by the group if they
weren’t rapping and you didn’t hear the DJ scratches embedded in
the song. It’s a catchy, happy and poppy tune that you’ll find yourself singing or whistling to it. The third track, “Love & Everything”
is the slowest song of the single, it’s not a ballad but more of a track
made for a concert. It’s very simple and easy going, lyrically and
musically. Overall this single is a hip pop type single with electro
thrown in. A bonus is the DVD, with the PV making and offshoot.
Limited Edition (CD+DVD)
PCCA-02429 1,575yen
release: 2007.03.14
M-1 Drive Alive
M-2 GET DIZZY
M-3 Love&Everything
M-4 Drive Alive (instru)
DVD: PV, Offshoot, Making
Umi
M-1 Umi
M-2 Sora no kanata e
M-3 Kimi wa nani
ga dekiru
M-4 Umi (instru)
DVD: PV, Offshoot
The second single that is made for the summer time love (Summer
Madness was the first). This song should appease a majority of people
who are open to all sorts of music. “Umi” (Sea) starts off with a little
bit of that rock flavor because it fuses rock and rap then goes into a reggae tone with a bit of that jazz bass thrown in. It’s a fuse of different
styles thrown into a blender. It’s a song that is great to listen to because
its soothing (musically). “Sora no Kanata e” (Beyond the sky), you almost think its some mellow rock song then goes into a gospel type vocal
via a cappella-ish in the beginning. The song is pretty mellow, its really
made to be the ending song for a concert. The vocals on this
track and “Umi” are very nice to listen to and very pleasing. “Kimi wa nani ka ga dekiru” (What can you do?), is
your typical J-Pop song. If the J-Pop fans of boy bands
heard this song, they probably would like it as it fits into the
whole typical pop group category. The CD also comes with
a bonus DVD that includes the PV, making and offshoot.
Limited Edition
(CD+DVD)
PCCA-02609 1,575yen
release: 2008.02.06
CD+DVD
PCCA-02531 1,575yen
release: 2007.07.18
STAND UP!
The latest single from Lead, is written by the guys themselves and has
a very old school flavor to it. If you lived and liked the 1990’s then
you’d appreciate this song as it is old school in every sense of the
way. The PV for the song is very environmental conscious as well, as
the theme revolved around corn (bio-fuel). The song is also is their
Regular Edition (CD)
first anime tie-in; it is the ending theme song to the anime, Katekyō
PCCA-02610 1,260yen
Hitman REBORN! The second track, “Load” is a mellow rock track,
release: 2008.02.06
there is rap so it does end up being a rock/hip hop-ish type song. The
*1/5 photos incl.
last song, “Sleepin’ Flower” is a the first of its kind for the group.
It is a song only sung by Keita and is a slow pop song. Overall this
M-1 STANDUP!
single is very diverse and if you’re a lover of 90’s American muM-2 Load
sic and Japanese pop music, one would definitely enjoy the single
M-3 Sleepin’ Flower
M-4 STANDUP! (instru) as it has a little bit of both.
DVD: PV, Offshoot
Feel the Vibes
This album is tied for first place in terms of “Which one of the Lead
albums is best?”. It really depends on taste. This album has all the elements of hip hop, R&B and pop. The Substitute Teachers, a hip hop
group hailing from California are guests in this album and do the first
and last tracks on the album. You can hear the strong influence of hip
hop and R&B in tracks such as “Baby what turns you on”, “Tani☆Rap”,
“STAND UP!”, “Taisetsuna mono” (My treasure), “Fall in Love” and
“Thanks for…”. Each member has their “own” song on the album, Shinya’s “Tani☆Rap” (Taniuchi is his last name), Akira’s “Wicked Wicked
SUMMER PARTY”, Hiroki’s “Tasogare Gradation” (Twilight Gradation), and Keita’s “Sleepin’ Flower”. Shinya’s song is pure old school hip
hop, Akira has the acoustic pop rock sound (very summer style song),
Hiroki’s gone technologic and Keita’s is your J-Pop ballad song. “TOKIO
NIGHT” is a favorite among fans as the song very poppish. Recommended tracks: Taisetsuna mono, for the all the lovey dovey mushy people Limited Edition
out there. Baby what turns you on and Fall in Love, for all the hip hop, PCCA-02623 3,300yen
R&B dancers who want to get down and everything else for everyone. release date: 2008.03.05
M-1 THE VIBES
M-2 Baby what turns you on
M-3 TOKIO NIGHT
M-4 Umi
M-5 Tani☆RAP
M-6 STAND UP!
M-7 Wicked Wicked SUMMER PARTY
M-8 Tasogare Gradation
PCBP-51910 5,000yen
release date: 2007.12.12
M-9 Sleepin’ flower
M-10 Taisetsuna Mono
M-11 Fall in love
M-12 GET DIZZY
M-13 Drive Alive
M-14 Thanks for…
M-15 Sora no kanata e
M-16 feel
*bonus: 44 page photobook
Regular Edition
PCCA-02624 3,000yen
release date: 2008.03.05
*bonus: 1/5 original trading
cards
Lead UPTURN 2007 ~B.W.R~
One of the most invigorating concerts of 2007. If there is any concert you should watch
from 2007, this is the one. From beginning to end, it is non-stop movement, non-stop
excitement and overall entertainment. If you enjoy dancing and great vocals you, you
will not be disappointed. The filming also makes this DVD great. If you’ve watched
dance movies, think of it just like that. You get the feeling that you are there at the concert watching it live. There are some artists who sound awesome live and some who
sound great live. They are above and beyond. Not only do they sound great live, but
many prefer to hear the live versions of this DVD above studio recordings. It’s that good.
Some people who watch this have been quite impressed by group, stating, “I would
watch them perform if they came here.” and “That’s tight how they sing but they can really dance. You don’t see that **** here in America, where its all of them and not just 1
or 2 main people sticking out. I’d watch them perform if they were here in America.”*
For some it’s not their taste, but if your into hip hop then this is a concert you will love for
the mere fact there are two dance corners. One is a choreo corner and the other is a b-boy
corner. You get a mixture of hip hop, rock, R&B, ‘70’s music thrown in with some old school
locking, hip hop choreo and b-boying and you have a formula for an awesome concert.
M-01. B.W.R
M-02. What cha gonna?
M-03. LOVE RAIN
M-04. PRIVACY
M-05. Night Deluxe
M-06. Extreme girl
M-13. Dear
M-07. Deep in my heart
M-08. Jewel of Queen
M-09. SWEETEST TABOO
M-10. No doubt
M-11. Love&Everything
M-12. Boku ga inoru yoru
(my prayer to the moon)
M-13. Dear
M-14. Red Eye Night
M-15. Cosmic Drive
M-16. Drive Alive
M-17. FEATURES
M-18. Umi
M-19. ONE FOR DA SOUL
M-20. Funky Days!
M-21. Summer Madness
M-22. Baby’ cuz U!
M-23. Virgin Blue
M-24. Sora no kanata e
M-25. High Time
Artist Check-Up!
Guest artist, The Substitute Teachers, featured two tracks on Lead’s new
album, “Feel The Vibes”. Hailing all the way from California, we caught up
with the duo to find out what it was like to work on the album!
How were you approached to do this album? Like how did
the management/company approach you about it? How did they
hear about you guys?
Chris Gatsby (Chris Saiz): Basically what happened was that we were
actually asked to do a song for Idoling!!! The track was used for the
opening song of Idoling’s debut album “Daiji Na Mono”. Pony Canyon liked
the song. Apparently they liked it so much that they allowed us to submit
a track for Lead’s new album “Feel the Vibes”. The producer for the Idoling
and Lead track is M.H (name witheld). M.H was our connection to Pony
Canyon and he got our foot in the door. They most likely heard about us
through M.H. Our network connection to M.H is a story in itself. M.H knew
someone in LA who knew Iori. We were first approached by our connection
in LA to do the Idoling track for M.H who would later submit the track to
Pony Canyon Records. That is how the label heard us for the first time.
IO Hustle (Iori Omura): We we’re approached by the producer who was
contracted to do the introduction track for Lead. We had worked with him
on a previous project and he told us that we should do the intro track for
Lead. We came up with the raps, and he arranged them. I guess Pony Canyon
liked it so they went with it. We have yet to officially hear from anyone at
Pony Canyon though haha.
What made you decide to do the album?
Chris Gatsby: There were no complicated decisions really.
Speaking for myself and I am sure Iori feels the same way, we
decided to do it for fun. Hip-Hop music is one our passions and
we’ll make a track even if we are not approached by any labels
or major artists. We are also willing to try new things and be
creative. Hip-Hop is in need of originality, freshness and dope
music. But looking at it from a business stand point, collaborating with Lead gave us the opportunity to spread our music and
talents further across the globe. I think there is definitely a deeper
appreciation for Hip-Hop music in other parts of the world and
not just in the US. Hopefully, some Lead fans will like our material and become fans of our work as well.
IO Hustle: Personally, I liked the challenge of having to come up
with a song that was outside of our normal comfort zone. We like
to think that we are versatile artists and can pretty much collaborate with anyone. This project turned out to be pretty fun, and we
would love to do more stuff like this in the future.
So this was something that was out of your comfort zone? How
so?
IO Hustle: It just doesn’t happen. I don’t really know to what
degree Lead’s popularity and fan base is is but from what I
gather they have a pretty good following and also they are with a
major label. We’re just two dudes from California that some how
got on the intro track. The producer that we worked with submitted the tracks to Pony Canyon, and from what I heard “loved it”
so I think it’s safe to say that we got on because they actually
liked the song and felt that it should go on the album. But now
that you mention it, maybe it does happen here too. Especially in
rap where the rapper that makes it big will feature his friends on
their records- never heard of them before and they’re usually not
that good. But for the most part, I don’t see random collabs like
this in the pop genre.
What did you think of Lead (assuming they gave you their
early material??) Because you talk about them and their dancing etc, so I’m curious as to what your thoughts were when you
guys were introduced to them.
Chris Gatsby: Actually, we kind of walked into this project
blindly. M.H basically gave us a beat and said “Can you make a
track to this in two days”. He did not give us a theme or any
(cont.)
guidelines. He did not give us too much background or previous work.
Which is fine: because it allowed our creativity to take its course. Anything
we found was on the internet. The music that I did find and the videos that I
did see were impressive. My first thoughts were, “Wow, look at how far the
Hip-Hop culture has spread.” Here are a group of Japanese dudes who can
flow and dance. The amazing part is that they are half way across the globe
from where Hip-Hop originated (New York). Their music was definitely a
different type of Hip-Hop but in the end it’s all expression and there is no
right or wrong way to do Hip-Hop, you are Hip-Hop, it reflects who you are.
IO Hustle: I have actually never heard of Lead before this project so I didn’t
know what to expect. We only had what M.H told us and online research to
go by. We found out that the first three members of Lead met each other at a
dance school in Osaka and formed a dance crew, which I thought was cool.
It’s nice that hiphop has been infused and incorporated into many styles of
music. I know that hiphop is pretty big in Japan, and I like the fact that if the
end product sounds dope, artists are willing to collaborate. I don’t think this
kind of collaboration with us and Lead could have happened in America.
Would you guys be down to perform with them anytime in the future? Do
more work with them or any other artists?
IO Hustle: Yes we would actually, we pitched the idea to the producer that
we worked with if we could tour with them haha. I mean, we did the
intro track so who better to open for them than us? We never really
got any inquiries so maybe the idea didn’t fly... we’re still waiting
for the call! But yeah, we would be down to collaborate with them or other
artists; it was a fun project. Maybe this time we could actually do
an actual collaboration where we would be on the same track, that would
really be cool.
Has this project “opened your eyes” in terms of how music is in Japan?
IO Hustle: Well, it did get me to scan the Jpop section more at the record
store. Sometimes I’ll check out the top sellers list and then go
back on line to check out some of their stuff. I’m sure there’s alot
more to it, I wish some one could kinda show me around.
Have you listened to the album? Your thoughts on it if you have.
Chris Gatsby: I thought the album was pretty entertaining. One
reason is because I have never listened to J-Pop before. It was really
different from what I expected. But being exposed to other types of
music is really good. The music was pretty melodic and the way they
harmonize and integrate each of their voices was pretty cool. I thought
another interesting thing was that their single and video “Stand Up” was
environmentally conscious. It shows that the same issues affect people
around the world and we all communicate that through music.
Chris Gatsby and IO Hustle, The Substitute Teachers
It was great being able to contribute to the Lead album with the opening song. Lead has a smooth pop
sound, making it for an enjoyable listen. The production has a nice range, fusing electronica, rock, and hip
hop which complements the artists very nicely. While
we never got to meet the group personally, they seem
to be a talented collective, and being that this is their
fifth release, they have obviously shown longevity in
the music business. It is nice too see that collaborations
between successful artists and relatively unknowns
such as ourselves can occur in the Japanese music
industry. We believe the end result turned out great!
This was our second time in the last two months working with a pop group from Japan. Growing up in America, where foreign music is not in the mainstream we
were not too familiar with Japanese Pop music. We
didn’t really know what to expect but working with the
likes of Idoling!!! and Lead really broadened our musical horizon, gaining an appreciation for the variety of
music that is out there, in this particular case Japan. We
hope to work with more artists out there in the future.
IO Hustle: I listened to the album; I thought it was
pretty cool. I don’t have their old stuff to compare it
to but it’s a fun listen in the car. I can’t say that I listen
to J-pop very much but I’m somewhat familiar with
some of the big stars like BOA, Namie Amuro, SMAP,
and etc, because my family watches Japanese TV, and
sometimes I’d catch them on the music variety shows
like Hey, Hey, Hey when it was still on. It has a very
boy band feel to it, which kind of went out of style in
the US, but hey, good sounding music is good sounding
music. Lead has energy and a positive vibe in most of
their songs, which I thought was cool.
Can you give a message to Lead?
Chris Gatsby: Lead...keep holding it down in
Japan, you guys are sick!
To find more information visit:
http://www.steachers.com
http://www.myspace.com/hiphopsubs
IO Hustle: Keep up the good work guys... to-
morokoshi rocks!
Some people may
wonder just
where are Lead
fans? We went
and found some
real dedicated
fans!
Not Just in Japan!
Fans from South
America, Australia,
Canada, America,
Asia... where you go
there are fans in
different parts of
the world and we
want to show you
just how much they
love lead!!
I love y
ou guys
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aware,
ay not b
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and Taiw
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Th
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th
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my heart.
which can
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E
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you.
can meet
-Pratiwi,
Indonesia
-Jessica
,
New Je
rsey, US
A
Yong Yee at “Wat Arun” River, Thailand
Emma Hennessy, Australia
Siyan, China
@ GuangZhou (the immortal Five Ram ancient legend as a good reputation
flowing down for long ages, the Five Ram Sculpture be regard as GuangZhou’s symbol)
Fans from various parts of the world
share their love for Lead.
Khao, Thailand
Jessica S., New Jersey
USA. shows her collection of merchandise and
hand made crafts.
Celine Zhou, Singapore
Dao, Thailand
Charmaine N.., New Jersey, USA.
Collection with “Puppy Shinya”.
“Puppy Shinya”, named after Lead
member, Shinya Taniuchi.
Siyan, China
Shows just how much she
likes Lead. Rooms covered
with their favorite artists
is common among fans.
Fon, Thailand
Her collection and posters that
are hanged in her room.
“Lonely cookie”, Vietnam
CD, DVD, Photobooks &
posters. It is extremely hard
to get Lead items in her
country but she continues to
support.
“Kiroyoshi”, Canada
with collection and fan art.
Juan Pablo Aponte & Patricia Jo
show their appreciation for Lead all the way
from Peru, South America.
Pratiwi,
Indonesia
Kaew, Thailand
has made everything from
t-shirts, keychains, notebooks
and clocks. She shows her love
through her creative mind.
Mason Avery
Washington, U.S.A
Collecton of Fanclub event goods,
CD/DVD’s. Her 5 year old brother is a
big fan of Lead as well.
Puy
Samutprakarn, Thailand
Yong Yee, Thailand
CD, DVD, Magazine collections
☆ROCK THE LM.C☆
FEATURE ARTICLE
PONY CANYON
COMING SOON
AVAILABLE MAY/JUNE 2008
MUCC D’espairs Ray the Underneath
Live Coverage from the East Coast, Interviews, Fan Event Coverage from the West Coast
by Makoto,
Canada
Fan art is always a big thing with fans.
Some are characterized in different themes, different styles of drawing and even real life art.
Here are some drawn from fans.
Iron Chef - Lead Generation
by “Jido”
http://rubberyjido.deviantart.com
“Kiroyoshi”, Canada
DJ TAKU & LEAD, “Feel The Vibes” version by Debbie (Singapore)
Hiroki Nakadoi by “Gukimon”
5 year old fan art by
Mason, U.S.A
Shinya Taniuchi by Emma Hennessy (Australia)
私はLeadの皆さん大好き！！ Leadさんはたぶん
知らないけど、たくさんファンいる(世界が)。
音楽続きくださいね！(と海外ファンに含む
(笑)上がり下がりを通して、行ったことがある
のをからかうけれども、それは、熱心に働くこ
とを一度も防いだことがなく、私はそれのため
にあなたを賞賛します. - Jessica S. (U.S.A)
私はリードファンに2004年から。リードさん大
好き！！ 貴方達のダンスももっともっと大好き
や！Hirokiの本腰、Shinyaはカコイイ、Keitaは
可愛いとAkiraのセクシーの声、全部はLeadです
よね？皆さんがんばってね！歌のより多くを楽
しみにしますか OK？ :) ~Celine Zhou (Singapore)
本当にありがとうございます。
あなたの音楽を聞いています、
だから私は感します。
とくに、いつか私の世界は崩れ落ちた、
Leadのみなさんは私に勇気をくれました
ありがとう。
このままでがんばって、負けないでください。
私は永遠に応援します。
私のこころこめてThank you.
-Charmaine N. (U.S.A)
こんにちは！私はリード大好きそしてもっと知
りたいな！応援します、ずっと！ ありがとう
ございます！ ~ Fon (Thailand)
Leadさん... がなばってね！
いつも応援します、永遠に。ラブ・ユー
-ケオ(タイランド)
がんばって！
～ミシャー (U.S.A)
私はリードさんは「ココイイ」と思うです。私
はリードさすごいいダンサーとシンガー、だか
ら私はあなたは大好き。私のフェボロリートメ
ンバーはShinyaさんです、Shinyaさんはクール
帽子だから。私の好きな曲は「STAND UP!」、
私はあのソングがダンスと一緒にだからな。リ
ードのメンバーさんはfunと良い性格見たい。
私の夢はLeadのライブ行きたい！！
ネバーギブアプ！あなた達はたくさん世界
ファンいるから、私達はずっとサポートでよ。
～メイソン アベリー (U.S.A)
Akira - お大事に！
Hiroki-最高のリーダー！
Leadを世話してください！
Keita - あなたのダンス大好き！
かわいいもん！
Shinya - カコイイと良いラパーですよ
こんにちは！僕の名前はJuan Pabloでペルー
に住んでいる２３歳です。僕がどうしてLeadの
ファンになったのか聞いてください。僕はペル
ーの日系の小学校／高校に行って日本文化と強
いつながりをもっています。。そして日系ペル
ー人の友達を多くもっています。子供の頃から
日本の音楽を聞いていて年を重ねるに連れて
ヒップホップを聞くようになりました。ある日
Youtubeで日本のヒップホップのビデオを探し
ているとGetWildLifeが出て来てLeadの音楽が好
きになりました。Leadの情報をいろいろ探して
みて海外のLeadのファンのためのフォーラム、
Le-volutionに参加するようになりました。そ
れ以来ずっとLeadの応援をしています。Leadは
すごい才能をもっていますし、曲を楽しめてと
てもプラス思考になれます。ライブでのパフォ
ーマンスも素晴らしいです！歌とダンスともに
最高です。
~ Juan Pablo (Peru)
~Beyond the Horizon~
Fan site & Blog
http://yunyiyi.blog3.petitmall.jp/
Siyan helps fans in the English and Chinese
speaking communities, by translating interviews, articles that feature LEAD.
Cosmic Drive (below), is one of the most
visited LEAD fansites catered toward English
speaking fans. You can find song translations
and the owner runs the International Forum.
International fan sites.
If you don’t speak Japanese, that’s OK!
Here are some great sites to find out the latest
information in either English or Chinese.
The sites are updated daily when news about Lead
is officially released in Japan.
LEAD THE REVOLUTION
Lead “Unofficial” International Fan Club.
They throughly support their artist by advertising
“RESPECT OUR MUSIC.
Love Music? Save Music!
STOP ILLEGAL COPYING”
They also have contest within the community, such
as banner contests that advertise the newest release.
http://www.le-volution.com/forum/
ON SALE NOW!
Available at CD Japan, Amazon Japan, HMV, Tower Records, YesAsia- Online
All shops ship internationally.
Something about….
There’s just something about Lead that has attracted fans from different parts of the globe. For me, I was aware of Lead, but I never really ever
looked into them. They’re music was good enough for me. After hearing Summer Madness, I constantly found myself listening to it, and soon after
their [4] album released, I enjoyed it very much. It is very easy listening. Then I watched their Upturn 2007 ~B.W.R.~ live for the first time and I was
amazed at the level of skill they displayed in singing, dancing and performance.
Something I found out, which surprised me to an extent, was that these fans are genuine, they’re real. They’re not your “typical” fans that fawn over
the pretty Japanese guys, of course looks has always plays a role, but these fans have a deeper grasp and feeling toward this crew that I rarely see in
J-Pop fans.
A majority of these fans took a liking to Lead through their music. It wasn’t through magazine photos or just watching a fan-made video of Japanese
boys, it was through listening and seeing them perform “live” (DVD concert clips).
They have an incredible flow of tones. Each of them have their own distinct voice, but when they are together, they harmonize. They’ve even been
described as the “Boyz II Men” of Japan (by Carl who’s never even heard of them till he heard “Fall in Love”). There are very, very few groups in
Japan who can be described like that. Most groups, when formed blend, but they do not blend so well. Lead has a great range of singer/rappers in the
group. Keita is the overall most balanced vocalist; Hiroki is the happy, boyish vocalist; Shinya is the natural rapper/flower with a sensual deep singing voice and Akira has the smooth, sexy and sensual voice. Akira and Shinya both have voices that are great for R&B music. They are all different,
but once they sing together, they harmonize and blend well, they are one, and that’s what makes them Lead.
These fans in essence, while not understanding Japanese very much, have understood what Lead has been trying to convey through their music: their
feelings. As Akira once said, he hopes they can feel their words through their singing. It seems it is a goal accomplished.
We took some time and interviewed some of these Lead fans from around the world, see what they had to say; their words from their mouths.
Charmaine N, N.J. USA
Why do you like Lead?
The word “like” would be an understatement as I absolutely love Lead. Their music is enjoyable & refreshing to my ears. They are also a group that
had (and still is) kept me moving during the peak of my depression several years ago. Although I’m not capable of understanding the language much,
it was the way they sang their songs that truly inspired me. With every emotion they’ve exuded, I felt it in my heart. Lead are one of the few important people in my life and to which I consider them as a part of my family.
What made you (honestly) listen to them in the first place?
(Was it looks, did someone just say “here check this out?, what was the 1st thing that MADE You want to try them out)
I had come across a video of them learning the choreography for the song “Delighted” and thought they were adorable & funny. I then searched and
watched several of their PVs. However, at that time though, I wasn’t really into J-Pop and so the first few of their songs/PVs didn’t appeal to me
much. It wasn’t till I had seen the PV for “FLY AWAY” did I start to become a fan of theirs.
So it was the song?
Yes, it was the song.
What was it about that song that caught your attention?
The beat of the song and the way they sang was what had caught my attention. It was a mesh of the late ‘80’s & early ‘90’s hip hop, r&b, and pop.
The type of music that I had enjoyed listening to so much when I was younger.
Have you seen them before listening to them?
Prior to listening to them, I did come across a photo of them on some blog. I honestly thought they were adorable, but like I had stated before I wasn’t
into J-Pop at that time. Therefore, I didn’t bother to do any research on them. This was two years before I had seen that “Delighted” dance practice
video. So, technically, yes I did see them before actually getting into their music. However, even if I didn’t know what their appearance was, their
style of music would still pique my interest.
What is it about them you like so much?
(Singing, dancing, looks, etc... please name all the factors)
+ All four are exceptionally talented in their own way.
+ There is no one specific “lead” vocalist.
+ Four very distinct singers, but harmonize beautifully together. Amazing dancers.
+ All are capable of MCing/rapping.
+ They write & produce their own music, albeit it’s more of an exclusive to their fan club events.
+ They are versatile as they experiment with different musical genres.
+ When they perform live, it’s just as good as the studio version, or even better.
Can you explain the “All four are exceptionally talented in their own way.” Because there are also other groups out there (DBSK, w-inds. i.e.) so
please explain.
Each one brings a little something different to the table.
Hiroki is capable of adjusting his vocal range to suit various musical genres. In R&B related songs, it’s a little deeper & more sensual sounding.
While for pop related songs, it’s a notch higher but quite powerful. Shinya is a wonderful lyricists and the way he raps is very fluid & natural sounding. There are number of groups out there that when I’ve listened to whoever is rapping, it comes off very forced. The song “STAND UP!” is a good
example of Shinya’s natural flow. Keita is a fantastic dancer, he’s very passionate about it and you can see it in the way he moves. He even at times
helps with the choreography. He’s also a lovely singer, hitting the high notes beautifully. Akira’s melodic voice is very soothing to the ears. I don’t
think I’ve heard any other Japanese artist with such a voice.
Also, you said they sound better Live, do you think that is much better than being pro-tooled (in the studio)?
They’ve only had it in a few songs as background vocals, such as “Twilight Gradation” & have never depended on them for main vocals. What you
hear when they sing live is the same as what you hear in their albums. Sometimes even better as you get to visually see their emotions & really hear
the passion for their music in their vocals.
How would you describe them against the other “boy bands” in Japan? But what makes them stand out?
Is there a difference between the Lead and and other groups you’ve seen?
Lead are not some manufactured group formed by a company. They had started from the ground up as street performers before being signed. They’re
able to have a say in what they do when it comes to their music, dancing, & style.
Normally in groups they’re only one or two main vocals, but when it comes to Lead each are given an equal amount. If not in one song, then they’ll
even it out in the next. Also, I love the fact that they each have very distinct vocals and can harmonize beautifully together. With most groups I’ve
heard they sound the same vocal wise, but their harmonies are off and don’t mesh with each other. Instead of sounding as one, it comes off as if there
are more than, let’s say, five members in a group. Whereas with Lead, I sometimes have difficulty differentiating their vocals because it blends so
wonderfully. All around they are a multi-talented, unique, down-to-earth, & humble group with no strings attached. These are a few key elements as
to what I feel makes them stand out above the rest.
Do you consider them a ‘boy band’ or as a dance group/crew? (There are some people who don’t consider them boy band status that’s why.)
No, I would never consider them as a ‘boy band’. I actually find that term quite offensive when referring to Lead. I prefer to call them a guy group or
dance group/crew. ‘Boy bands’, to me, are a stereotypical group that is formed by some large company, where their artists are merely puppets on a
string and their popularity is solely based on their so called, ‘sex appeal’. Massive amounts of hip gyrations, that makes some boy bands seem more
like male strippers, certainly does not equal quality music.
Lead’s main focus has always been about their singing & dancing. They don’t need to exploit themselves to be popular. It’s
just a shame in today’s music industry, most prefer to sell sex. A group such as Lead is a rare find and for me, no other group
can ever compare.
What is it about them that stand out from the rest of the groups in Japan/Asia?
For me, personally, it was their history that stood out the most. They are not manufactured as they had formed the group
themselves first and performed in the streets of Osaka before being signed. This also includes the number of reasons that I
had listed, in regards to the previous question, which separates them apart from any other guy group out there. It’s an extreme rarity to find groups such as Lead and I feel very fortunate to have come across them.
Do you think Americans would take a liking to them? In terms of dancing/singing?
I think they would do quite well in America as their music is enjoyable and their singing & dancing is fantastic. They have
personalities that anyone can relate to and remain humble in the entertainment industry. However, it depends on the timing as American’s haven’t really fully embraced Asian artists out there and if they have it’s more towards J-Rock. Plus, the
number of guy groups out in the states has been depleted. If ever they do decide to branch out overseas, I hope it will be well
received as they would bring something fresh to the American music industry and that’s something that is much needed.
Vi, Sacramento, CA (U.S.A)
Why do you like Lead?
Lead is just a very inspiring group overall. They have amazing dancing, great choreography, catchy music, nice raps, and
they even write some of it themselves! They can hold a tune like no one’s business, and through it all they haven’t lose
themselves in the entertainment industry. They also have great personalities that make me happy.
What made you listen to them in the first place?
(Was it looks, did someone just say “here check this out”, what was the 1st thing that MADE You want to try them out?)
To be honest, I initially wanted to listen to Lead because one of my friends, Jessica, was a COMPLETE Lead fan and was
always really hyper about them. So, one day she sent me one of her favorite songs (Only You Can Hurt Me) and I completely
fell in love with it! And then I looked them up on YouTube and was amazed by their dancing and overall performance. That
pretty much won me over.
So it was the song? What was it about that song that caught your attention? Have you seen them before listening to them?
Yeah, it was definitely the song that caught my attention. I think it was just the amount of feeling from the song, it just seemed
like it had a lot of emotion and it really caught my feeling. Before listening to the song, I think I had seen a picture of them on
my friend’s website layout, but I didn’t know it was him. When she sent me the song, I was like “huh? who’s Lead?” I didn’t
know they were Lead so I was like oh they’re just some random guys. Then after I heard Only You Can Hurt Me, I looked ‘em
up and then I was like “OHHH THAT’S LEAD!”.
But what makes them stand out? I mean your also a fan of other groups (w-inds.), right? Is there a difference between the
Lead and w-inds. (and other groups you’ve seen)?
Yeah, I think Lead’s style is different from w-inds.. Like, it’s closer to other styles here in America. It’s also very up-beat at
times and I really like it. Lately, w-inds. songs have been like, ballads and stuff, and that makes Lead stand out more. I guess
I’m sort of disappointed with the fact that w-inds. have been changing so much and like, Keita has been getting more and
more parts compared to Ryohei and Ryuichi. So for Lead, I really appreciate how they have still been sharing the songs and
haven’t really ‘sold out’ to the media as much I guess? I also really like their voices because they’re very smooth and they
don’t really strain to reach high notes like a lot of other artists I’ve heard. And their dancing is just more my style than w-inds.
dancing is, like, I really like their break dancing and stuff. They’ve actually inspired me to work harder at my break dancing,
oh and their voices blend really well together!!
So you think w-inds. has sold out to the media?
I guess ‘sold out’ is a stronger phrase than I meant for it to be. I mean, it’s probably just me missing how they used to be in the past because they have
changed. Not only their music but their whole style with everything. I think they have been doing more fan service than they used to and it sorta seems
like they’re doing a lot of things to try to get more fans again... and it’s sort of disappointing because I used to respect them a lot for that. For Lead,
I don’t really see that in them. I know their style has sorta changed from before, but it is more of an evolution for their music that I liked rather than
turning into a one-man show like how it did for w-inds. if that makes sense. Because for w-inds. it sort of seems like they’re playing more off of Keita’s
popularity than their talents now, and Lead aren’t doing that.
So would you say they played a part in you taking up breaking or just more inspired?
I think I was always interested in breaking and just dancing in general, but they probably were part of what sort of gave me the “extra push” because
whenever I would watch one of their performances and they’d start breaking it would just make me want to learn that much more and work that much
harder.
How have they inspired you?
They inspire me to improve myself, and follow my dreams. I know that is very difficult to be recognized on japanese music industry, but they’re fighting to follow their dreams on that and they’re improving and growing so much as artits that they inspire me to fight in my life too. Their music always
makes me happy and feel good.
Do you think Americans would take a liking to them? In terms of dancing and singing?
Yeah, I think that they would, since their style’s closer to what a lot of American’s have been listening to lately (at least from what I’ve heard from my
friends). Also, my friends that I have shown Lead have taken a liking to them as well, and typically they don’t really like any of the Asian groups I
show them, so that’s always a good sign, haha. Also, they’re dancing is impressive. Then again, at the same time in America there’s always people who
criticize dance unless it’s EXACTLY the same. I’ve noticed that in Japan there’s less criticism for the precision for dancing than there is in America. At
the same time, however, I still think Lead would fare quite well over here.
“Tio”, Peru
Why do you like Lead?
Obviously because I love Lead’s music, but first of all I think that I like them because I feel their friendship, I dunno, I feel that they’re like my friends
or something, their charisma is unique.
What made you (honestly) listen to them in the first place?
I was looking for japanese hiphop videos on youtube, and I found Get Wild Life video, I like their fresh style of hip hop and music, and then I surf the
net for more info about them, I enjoy all their stuff!
So do you consider them a boy band? Or a hip hop group/crew? Because I know some people see them as a boy band.
I consider them as a Vocal & Dance HipHop-HipPop-Reggae-Pop Unit. They’re more than a simple “boy band”.
What makes their music fresh to you? Are you a big hip hop fan?
I think that the happiness and rhythm that they put on their songs makes their music fresh. Yeah I’m big hip hop/hip pop/reggae fan, specially American, Japanese and Korean styles.
What is it about them you like so much? (Singing, dancing, looks, etc... please name all the factors)
Their fresh music!, is not like other azn groups that all songs sound the same, Lead is always surprising me, their singing is really cool and they are gorgeous dancers.
Can you go a little further? Like can you give examples as to what you mean in “not like other Asian groups that all songs sound the same, Lead is
always surprising me, their singing is really cool and they are gorgeous dancers.”
An example is that all JE’s music (with a couple of exceptions) sounds the same for me (poppish but sometimes catchy songs with not so much care on
the vocals = boring). Lead is always surprising me because they mix a lot of genders of music like hiphop/hippop/r&b/pop/reggae/ballade and makes
each song very unique and different, and they care so much on their vocals and rhythm.
Siyan, China
Why do you like Lead?
Honestly there’s no reason why I like them, everything they’ve done made me like them more and more and eventually I became a fan. I’ve already
listened to their music earlier~ when my friend introduce there’s a Japan unit called w-inds. to me then let me know VF, and later Lead debute......
soon there was a TV program promote VF NEW GENERATION GROUPS the groups: w-inds., FLAME and Lead. But to tell the truth, I didn’t be a
fan at that time~a few years past, I try them out accidentally by buy a DVD copy of Upturn Tour 2005. You must wonder what makes me to buy their
DVD, I think is coincidence....but fate and coincidence just between a line, right? I walked through a street and passed a CD shop one day and I saw a
DVD was placed in the shopping window. It reminded me of something and I started to consider why this unit, who also debuted years ago, was not as
famous as w-inds.. So maybe you can say I try them out from curiosity.
What is it about them that stands out from the rest of the groups in Japan/Asia?
For me it’s their family-like relationship, which makes me feel so ease to be their fan! I think that’s also the reason why can go even further in life. I
think a group that fights can’t be a good unit. I’ve been a fan of Backstreet Boys for over ten years, that’s the brother-like relationship that makes them
came across the difficulty and stand until now. Good relationship can make fans closer together around the world. Lead are more than just friends,
they’re like a real happy and harmonic family!!!! By the way, their music prodution, that’s very important to write and produce their own music, because it represents Lead’s ability. I highly encourage them to write more, even if they are not used on CDs , for experience only is good. Practise makes
perfect! I’m looking forward to the day that they can also direct their CD or PV !
Patty Jo, Peru
Why do you like Lead? What made you (honestly) listen to them in the first place?
I LOVE Lead because they’re such great artists! I really like the catchy rythms of their songs, the way they dance, and their great live performances!
I’ve never been to a live show because I’ve never been to Japan, but I’ve seen the videos of their concerts and WOW! They’re just great! Not only because of the show the put out for the fans, but also because by watching them I can tell they really enjoy it and try to put the best of themselves in every
single performance! My friend (Tio) was the one who made me listen to them. The first song that got stuck in my head was Party Tune. Then I started
listening to all of the other songs and watched every video they made, their concerts and I totally got into them. Even though it was not so long ago, in
this short period of time Lead has become one of my favorite J-pop bands!
What is it about them you like so much?
Well of course I have to start with the music! I think their singing is awesome and by listening to all of their records I can tell that they’ve been improving through out the years and I’m sure that they’ll be so much better in the future! So I’m really hoping to see Lead in the music business for a long
time. Plus, I like the fact that they don’t do playback! I’ve seen other Jpop bands doing playback in their “live” shows and I’m really not into that. I’m
also a big fan of their dancing! They’re break dance performances are just AMAZING! Another thing I like the about them is their personality! They
seem to be such humble and nice guys! They enjoy this business and have so much fun doing what they love. Plus, they’re really funny and such cool
guys.
Vickii Nguyen, U.S.A
Why do you like Lead?
I guess it’s coz their lyrics/songs are very meaningful. I can relate to many of them, and alot of them cheer me up when I’m down or something. U.S.
music isn’t like theirs, it’s full of inappropreiate stuff and so it all sounds the same, also it’s thanks to them that I’ve gotten so much closer to everyone
in me life...so those are probably the main reasons, but other than that...the basics like their talents and things like that.
Other than the lyrics, it just seems like you just like them. Can you explain what you mean like “talents and things like that”?
I would have to say that they were the first group I saw that could do soo many things. For instance dance, sing, dj, and act, not only that but they continue to grow and improve by like doing things such as on that one show that they do every year with stunts and stuff, so yeah that’s what I meant.
What made you (honestly) listen to them in the first place?
Actually my friend introduced me to them. I was moving away and I was really sad. She introduced funky days to me to make me happy, and I listened to that song for about 2 years and I began expanding on them haha.
What was it about Funky Days that got you? I mean you don’t understand Japanese at the time correct? So how did you connect with it?
Haha I just basically went on to the internet and found the translated version of that song. But how iIconnect with it...at first when I just heard the song
and didn’t know what it meant, I just liked the melody and the tune of it. It sounded happy. But after that, I found the lyrics and I see why my friend
told me to listen to it. In the song it says things like not giving up, moving on, and over coming everything that comes my way. That I should be myself and be happy with life, and I think that after that I really did. I guess it’s coz I truly loved that place I moved away from. I basically lived there my
entire life, and moving was just a sad thing. so I think that i really needed that song in my life.
You don’t understand Japanese, but their personalities is what you like? Can you explain? You said you “love their voices”, well what about their
voices?
OK about their personalities. It’s like this...for instance, they always do random things: screaming, dancing, poking each other, and things like that.
It’s just cute to see how each member is and how they change over time lol and since the fansub teams often translate things that they say...I can
understand some things...as for their voices...they’re just different. Like Akira’s is nice and smoothing, Keita’s is squeaky but like cute etc., Shinya’s is
like deep and very nice and Hiroki’s is very...every thing? kinda...(sorry can’t describe super well) but anyways...I like them for that reason too. Even
though their voices are all different, some how they all blend and compliment each other, in the songs.
“Kiroyoshi”, Canada
Why do you like Lead?
I like Lead because they are a very determined group, to do the best in whatever they do. They are very inspirational.
What made you (honestly) listen to them in the first place?
I first started listening to Lead a few years ago when my friends introduced me to them. Honestly, at first I didn’t like their appearance very much because I had not been exposed to the this kind of music. However, when I watched their PV Night Deluxe, I fell in love with it, the awesome and catchy
song and their cool dance moves.
What is it about them you like so much?
Lead has become my favourite group because they are very talented in many ways such as singing, dancing and rapping. They also fill in some of their
own lyrics in their songs which makes them personal. Their sense of style in how they dress and how they present themselves also make them very
appealing to me. I also like Lead because they have a great sense of humour and they really show their appreciation towards their fans. Whenever I
watch clips or videos of them it always makes me smile.
What is it about them that stands out from the rest of the groups in Japan/Asia?
Lead stands out the most to me because they produce a variety of music with different feels from mellow to happy music. They are able to make their
own decisions and as they have grown up these five so years their music and looks have matured. Lead constantly shows the effort to improve on anything they do and learn new things. Even though each member of the group has unique, they all seem to “click” very well. They are an awesome group
to watch because there are always surprises.
500 PAGES! A J!-ENT SPECIAL ONLINE-ONLY FAN BOOKLET! AVAILABLE IN MAY 2008!
東方神起
tohoshinki
DBSK
TVXQ
& THEIR WORLDWIDE FANDOM
INTERVIEW WITH TOHOSHINKI
ERINGS & PARTIES
PHOTOS FROM DBSK/TVXQ FAN CLUB GATH
WORLDWIDE FANDOM FEATURE
FAN MADE ARTWORK
& SO MUCH MORE!
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BY DENNIS A. AMITH & MICHELLE TYMON
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J!-ENT
Celebrating our 15th Year Anniversary
THIS SPECIAL
FEATURE IS
Lead are
Hiroki Nakadoi
Shinya Taniuchi
Akira Kagimoto
Keita Furuya
Credits
Produced by Christine S. for Nippon Project
Article & Interview by Christine S.
Disc Review by Christine S.
Copy Editor: Natasha S., Melissa B.
Design Concept: Christine S.
Photos Courtesy of Pony Canyon
Editor in Chief: TAROT CARD
Special Thanks
Lead, Oiwa, Pony Canyon, Flight Master, Vision Factory,
akichan, maichan, and all fans that participated.
This article could not have been accomplished without the
cooperation of all those involved.
Lead Official Site
http://www.lead.tv
Lead Official Blog - Lead DO-GA
http://lead.vision-blog.jp
Lead Official Fan Club “LEADERS”
http://www.visionfactory.jp/artist/lead/index.html#funclub
PONY CANYON
http://www.ponycanyon.co.jp/
VISION FACTORY
http://www.visionfactory.co.jp
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http://www.nipponproject.com
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http://www.suitestaboo.com
Questions, comments, inquiries:
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